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On Wednesday, the Edmonton Eskimos got a look at freshly signed quarterback Mike Reilly as he donned a green and gold No. 13 jersey at Commonwealth Stadium.

The last time they saw him, however, Reilly was leading the B.C. Lions to a 39-19 victory against them in October, making his first CFL start in place of an injured Travis Lulay.

“Today is about looking ahead, not living in the past,” said Eskimos general manager Ed Hervey. “This is for an opportunity to compete for a chance to play.”

Which is the same thing the club is saying to all their quarterbacks headed into training camp June 2.

A three-year backup during his time in Vancouver, Reilly made the most of that chance last fall by completing 19 of 28 passes for 276 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

But it was the interception that came first, ending the Lions’ opening series when Eskimos linebacker and the CFL’s most outstanding defensive player in 2012 picked him off at B.C.’s eight yard-line.

“It was my second (pass). I do remember that, I had forgotten that until you said that,” Reilly jested. “It was a great opportunity. It was a big game because if we won, that locked up first place.

“But it didn’t start off great. J.C. Sherritt, I called him a couple days ago and said: ‘You’re never going to pick me off or tackle me on the one yard-line again because I’m on your team now.’ ”

Reilly’s first impressions left enough of an impression on the Eskimos that the team signed him last week, ahead of free agency.

“I remember that this young man was unflappable,” Eskimos head coach Kavis Reed said. “In his first CFL start, we were not able to rattle him.

“In the third and fourth quarter, when big-play opportunities presented itself, he took advantage.”

Of course, it helped having the CFL’s premier defence putting the ball back in his hands more often than not. But still, someone had to throw the ball.

“That’s one thing that I learned, is that it’s a long game and things aren’t going to go perfectly but if you stick to the game plan and just have a short memory, good things are going to happen,” Reilly said. “So it was a great chance to show what I can do, but (I’ve got) a lot of learning.”

This time around, Reilly is looking to make it more first-hand learning rather than being someone else’s understudy.

“I feel that everything in my career up to this point has led me to the preparation to take over and be the guy in place,” Reilly said. “Especially behind a guy like Travis in B.C., who is a very good quarterback. It’s tough to sit back and watch.

“But if you’re hungry and you learn from the best, it prepares you. Honestly, for my entire career I’ve been waiting for my opportunity.”

And he’s not the only one.

Typically, the Eskimos bring five quarterbacks into training camp. This year, with the starting spot up in the air, there could even be six.

“There are some guys who we’re definitely looking at,” said Reed, who currently has four pivots signed to the roster. “That position is obviously vitally important, as well as having the depth there.

“Injuries can mean an opportunity for someone else and we’d better make certain we have guys that are able to step in and you don’t have to radically change the system.”